Trainshttp://www.businessinsider.com/category/trains
en-usSun, 18 Feb 2018 00:33:47 -0500Sun, 18 Feb 2018 00:33:47 -0500The latest news on Trains from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/two-amtrak-train-cars-separate-at-125-mph-2018-2Two Amtrak train cars detached while the train was reportedly going 125 mphhttp://www.businessinsider.com/two-amtrak-train-cars-separate-at-125-mph-2018-2
Tue, 06 Feb 2018 13:58:16 -0500Mark Matousek
<p><strong><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/56e6877552bcd01a008b606c-1333/amtrak%20train.jpg" alt="Amtrak Train" data-mce-source="AP Photo/Mel Evans" data-mce-caption="An Amtrak train passes through Elizabeth train station Saturday, March 12, 2016, in Elizabeth, N.J., along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor."></strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>An Amtrak train traveling from Washington, D.C., to Boston broke apart while reportedly moving at 125 mph.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Amtrak said the incident resulted from a "mechanical issue."</strong></li>
<li><strong>The incident follows three accidents involving Amtrak trains since December.</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p><br>Two cars on Amtrak Acela Express train 2150 separated while traveling from Washington, D.C., to Boston on Tuesday morning, Amtrak told Business Insider. The incident occurred at around 6:40 a.m. and resulted from a "mechanical issue," though no additional details were provided about the accident's cause.</p>
<p>The train was carrying around 52 passengers who were transferred to another train. No injuries have been reported.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://nypost.com/2018/02/06/amtrak-train-breaks-apart-at-125-mph/">New York Post first reported</a> the accident and stated that the train was traveling to New York from DC. The Post also reported that the train was reportedly moving at 125 mph at the time of the accident, but Amtrak declined to comment on the speed. </p>
<p>This incident follows a string of Amtrak accidents in recent months, beginning with the January 18 <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/engineer-on-derailed-amtrak-train-gave-warning-before-accident-2017-12">derailment</a> in Washington state that killed three passengers and injured 62 passengers and crew members after the train was moving 78 mph in a 30 mph zone during its first trip on a new route. </p>
<p>On January 3, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/3-amtrak-trains-with-311-passengers-on-board-derailed-in-georgia-2018-1">three cars derailed</a> in Savannah, Georgia, on an Amtrak train traveling from Miami to New York. And on Sunday, two passengers were killed and over 100 were injured when a passenger train <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-blames-csx-train-operators-for-crash-that-killed-2-injured-100-2018-2">crashed into a stationary freight train</a> in Cayce, South Carolina.</p>
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Amtrak train breaks apart at 125 mph <a href="https://t.co/z813UOvcyn">https://t.co/z813UOvcyn</a> <a href="https://t.co/pJurTa2cfr">pic.twitter.com/pJurTa2cfr</a> </p>— New York Post Metro (@nypmetro) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/960932540281446400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2018</a>
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<p>The accidents in Washington and South Carolina occurred on trains that were not able to use <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-derail-washington-positive-train-control-tech-2017-12">positive train control (PTC)</a>, a technology that can send warnings to trains or automatically stop them if it senses a dangerous situation approaching. While Congress mandated that all Class 1 railroad mainlines in the US, like those used for passenger service, be equipped with PTC by the end of 2015, the deadline was later pushed back to the end of 2018 with the chance for another two-year extension.</p>
<p>It is not clear if Acela Express train 2150 was equipped with PTC, or if PTC could have prevented the accident. An Amtrak spokesperson told Business Insider that the company is currently investigating the incident.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-crash-south-carolina-investigation-update-2018-2" >Federal investigators are trying to figure out what role a mechanical switch played in the Amtrak crash that killed 2 people in South Carolina</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/two-amtrak-train-cars-separate-at-125-mph-2018-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-sell-off-dow-volatility-jurrien-timmer-fidelity-bonds-2018-2">Here's why the recent stock market sell-off could save us from a repeat of "Black Monday"</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/some-workers-paid-111-per-hour-nyc-subway-construction-projects-2018-1A New York Times report found that some workers hired to build New York's subways were paid $111 an hourhttp://www.businessinsider.com/some-workers-paid-111-per-hour-nyc-subway-construction-projects-2018-1
Tue, 02 Jan 2018 16:57:25 -0500Mark Matousek
<p><strong><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5863ef83ee14b62b008b57f3-1422/31810433365298f1af096h.jpg" alt="second avenue subway NYC" data-mce-source="Flickr/MTA" data-link="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mtaphotos/with/30905257644/" /></strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>A New York Times report found that New York City transit projects cost far more than in comparable cities throughout the world.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The costs result from generous compensation for workers and high costs from contractors.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The report found that unions and contractors donated millions to political campaigns, including those involving Gov. Andrew Cuomo.</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><br />The New York City subway system has come under fire for being unreliable, with delays increasing dramatically in the past five years.</p>
<p>Now, after detailing how maintenance funding for the subways had <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-nyc-subways-got-so-bad-nyt-report-2017-11">long been cut or diverted for other uses</a>, The New York Times has revealed in a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/28/nyregion/new-york-subway-construction-costs.html">recent report</a> that transportation construction projects in New York are also often significantly more expensive than in other major cities.</p>
<p>A project connecting the Long Island Rail Road commuter train to Grand Central Terminal, for example, is projected to cost $3.5 billion for every new mile of track, which The Times said was seven times the worldwide average elsewhere. The report found that projects were routinely overstaffed and overpriced relative to comparable projects elsewhere as labor unions and contractors profited at the city's expense.</p>
<p>The Times found that one union ensured most of its workers were paid $111 an hour in salary and benefits. And in some cases, construction projects in New York were staffed by up to four times as many workers as for similar projects in Asia, Australia, and Europe.</p>
<p>According to the report, New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the city's subways and buses and some of its commuter trains, said the city had unique conditions requiring inflated costs, but The Times found that those claims may have been exaggerated after interviewing more than 50 contractors and analyzing MTA projects and pricing data.</p>
<p>According to The Times, labor unions and contractors were able to negotiate labor prices without input from any New York City agencies and frequently gave campaign donations to political campaigns &mdash; including those involving Gov. Andrew Cuomo &mdash; and often hired MTA employees. And since contractors who could perform underground construction projects didn't have much competition, they could reportedly add almost 50% to their projected costs when bidding for projects, compared with an average of 10% in other countries, according to The Times.</p>
<p>The MTA didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mta-hide-dead-bodies-break-rooms-2017-8" >The New York subway has reportedly been using employee break rooms to store dead bodies</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/some-workers-paid-111-per-hour-nyc-subway-construction-projects-2018-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/buildable-cardboard-kit-hold-nintendo-switch-console-video-game-2018-2">We built Nintendo's next big thing, Nintendo Labo</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/rail-fares-set-to-rise-by-34-in-january-2017-12'Kick in the teeth' for inflation-hit commuters as rail fares rise by 3.4%http://www.businessinsider.com/rail-fares-set-to-rise-by-34-in-january-2017-12
Tue, 02 Jan 2018 03:31:00 -0500Oscar Williams-Grut
<p><strong><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5a266843ec1ade737a3a0c5c-1675/rtr1s73z.jpg" alt="Trains bound for Victoria station pass Battersea Power Station in central London July 23, 2007. The British government is due to unveil its long term rail plans on Tuesday, promising billions of pounds will be spent on upgrading lines and improving stations, but media reports warned passengers could have to pay more. Picture taken July 23, 2007." data-mce-source="REUTERS/Alessia Pierdomenico" data-mce-caption="Trains bound for Victoria station pass Battersea Power Station in central London July 23, 2007. The British government is due to unveil its long term rail plans on Tuesday, promising billions of pounds will be spent on upgrading lines and improving stations, but media reports warned passengers could have to pay more. Picture taken July 23, 2007." data-link="http://pictures.reuters.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&amp;VBID=2C0BXZV4RSV1Q&amp;SMLS=1&amp;RW=1436&amp;RH=718#/SearchResult&amp;VBID=2C0BXZV4RSV1Q&amp;SMLS=1&amp;RW=1436&amp;RH=718&amp;PN=6&amp;POPUPPN=340&amp;POPUPIID=2C04082GW2I1U" /></strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Rail fares rise by 3.4% today, the largest annual increase since 2013.</strong></li>
<li><strong>RMT union called the price rise a "kick in the teeth" for rail travellers.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Industry body claims most of the money goes towards infrastructure investment.</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><br />LONDON &mdash; Rail fares rise by an average of 3.4% from today, the largest annual increase since 2013.</p>
<p>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/media-centre/press-releases/2017/469773536-2017-12-05.html">The Rail Delivery Group announced the price rises in early December</a>, saying just 3p in every pound of fares is profit for train companies.</p>
<p>"Over 97% of money from fares goes back into improving and running the railway, underpinning the rail industry's long-term plan to work together to change and improve services for customers, the economy, communities and people who work in rail," the industry group said in a statement.</p>
<p>However, the RMT union called the rise a "kick in the teeth" for rail travellers when the price increases were first announced, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42234488">according to the BBC.</a></p>
<p>The price rise comes as the cost of essentials like food, fuel, and energy is already rising rapidly. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/brexit-uk-inflation-in-october-2017">Inflation is currently running at 3%</a>, well above the Bank of England's target level of 2%.</p>
<p>Paul Plummer, CEO of the Rail Delivery Group, which consists of train companies and Network Rail, said in a statement: "Government controls increases to almost half of fares, including season tickets, with the rest heavily influenced by the payments train companies make to government."</p>
<p>There were 1.7 billion rail passenger journeys &mdash; more than 4.5 million a day &mdash; across Britain in 2016-2017.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/rail-fares-set-to-rise-by-34-in-january-2017-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-shaking-up-healthcare-industry-ripe-for-disruption-2018-2">Amazon is shaking up a healthcare industry that's ripe for disruption</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nj-transit-commuters-face-rate-hike-2017-12 Some New Jersey train commuters would have to pay almost $30 for a round-trip ticket to NYC once a rate hike goes into full effect http://www.businessinsider.com/nj-transit-commuters-face-rate-hike-2017-12
Wed, 27 Dec 2017 17:28:16 -0500Mark Matousek
<p><strong><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/58e3fb6a8af57859008b64ec-1500/rtsa70t.jpg" alt="new jersey transit" data-mce-source="Reuters/Mike Segar" /></strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>New Jersey residents who commute to New York may have to pay $0.90 more per trip starting in 2020 under a new proposal by outgoing New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.&nbsp;</strong></li>
<li><strong>The fare increase would jump to $1.70 in 2028 and $2.20 in 2038.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The new revenue would go toward a plan to build a new tunnel between New Jersey and New York and repair the Amtrak North River Tunnel.&nbsp;</strong></li>
<li><strong>The projects would cut commute times and increase reliability.</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>New Jersey residents who commute to New York will see their daily transportation expenses increase dramatically over the next two decades,&nbsp;according to a new plan proposed by outgoing New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.</p>
<p>The plan would raise New Jersey Transit rail fees by $0.90 per trip starting in 2020, $1.70 in 2028, and $2.20 in 2038, <a href="http://nj.gov/governor/news/news/552017/pdfs/20171213_HudsonRiverTunnel.pdf">according to a letter</a> from Steven Santoro, the agency's executive director. This would amount to daily cost increases of $1.80, $3.40, and $4.40, respectively, for round-trip commuters.</p>
<p>The cost increases would fund a new tunnel running under the Hudson River and repair the 107-year-old Amtrak North River Tunnel, which was damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, <a href="http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/552017/approved/20171214a.html">according to a statement</a> released by Christie. The projects would cut travel times and increase reliability between New Jersey and New York. Christie <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chris-christie-is-an-idiot-for-canceling-the-new-york-rail-tunnel-project-2010-10">cancelled an initial proposal</a> for the new tunnel in 2010, as he feared that New Jersey taxpayers would have to pay for cost overruns.</p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5a4415c5b0bcd51d008b72da-631/screen shot 2017-12-27 at 45012 pm.png" alt="bloomberg nj transit" data-mce-source="Twitter / LauraJKeller" data-link="https://twitter.com/LauraJKeller/status/946107758151192576" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-27/decades-of-pain-ahead-for-nj-transit-riders-subsidizing-tunnel">Bloomberg projected</a>&nbsp;that some commuters would have to pay almost $30 per day once the rate hike went into full effect in 2038.</p>
<p>The current proposal is projected to cost $12.7 billion and relies on federal funding to fill in the gaps left by the $5.55 billion in combined funding pledged by the governments of New Jersey and New York.</p>
<p>While the plan is currently under review at the US Department of Transportation, the new tunnel wouldn't open until 2025 at the earliest if federal funding is approved, Bloomberg reported.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-is-chris-christie-doing-in-the-polls-beachgate-2017-7" >Chris Christie's fall from grace: How a presidential frontrunner became the country's least popular governor</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nj-transit-commuters-face-rate-hike-2017-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/fund-manager-shares-what-everyone-gets-wrong-about-economy-2018-1">A $445 billion fund manager explains what everyone gets wrong about the economy</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/engineer-on-derailed-amtrak-train-gave-warning-before-accident-2017-12An engineer on the derailed Amtrak train warned it was going too fast right before the deadly crashhttp://www.businessinsider.com/engineer-on-derailed-amtrak-train-gave-warning-before-accident-2017-12
Fri, 22 Dec 2017 16:05:32 -0500Mark Matousek
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5a38dea2b0bcd5b9008b5d0b-1496/amtrak derailment.jpg" alt="amtrak derailment" data-mce-source="KOMO-TV via AP" data-mce-caption="An aerial image of the site of an Amtrak train that derailed in Washington state on Monday." /></p><p></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>An engineer on the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-derails-falls-onto-overpass-in-washington-2017-12">derailed Amtrak train</a> noted that the train was going too fast six seconds before the train derailed, <a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/PR20171222.aspx">according to the National Transportation Safety Board</a>.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The accident occurred on Monday morning in Washington state, killing three people on the train and injuring dozens more.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The train <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-washington-was-travelling-50-mph-above-speed-limit-when-it-crashed-2017-12">was going 78 mph</a> in a 30 mph zone.</strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-derail-washington-positive-train-control-tech-2017-12">Safety measures</a> that could have potentially prevented the accident were not yet installed on the train.</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><br />An engineer on the derailed Amtrak train noted that the train was going too fast six seconds before the train derailed, <a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/PR20171222.aspx">according to an investigation</a> by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Train 501 derailed on Monday morning south of Tacoma in Washington state, killing three people on the train and injuring dozens more. The NTSB <a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/RRD18MR001.aspx">found</a> that the train was going 78 mph in a 30 mph zone at the time of the crash. The train was making its first trip on a new section of a route between Seattle and Portland, and while the section had been tested for at least six months prior to the accident, local officials had concerns about the project's safety.</p>
<p>The NTSB began its investigation into the accident on Monday. While the full investigation will take 12-24 months, the agency has made a few discoveries so far.</p>
<p>It found that positive train control (PTC), a technology that can automatically slow a train down if it senses it's going too fast, was not installed on the train. And footage from the front car's camera also showed that no crew members were distracted by their phones or any other electronic devices during the segment reviewed by the NTSB.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-investigators-try-to-determine-key-facts-about-crash-2017-12" >The tragic Amtrak derailment raises 3 big questions for investigators</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/engineer-on-derailed-amtrak-train-gave-warning-before-accident-2017-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musks-boring-company-selling-500-flamethrowers-tesla-musk-2018-1">Elon Musk's The Boring Company sold out of these $500 flamethrowers</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-derail-washington-positive-train-control-tech-2017-12This life-saving technology was not available on the derailed Amtrak trainhttp://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-derail-washington-positive-train-control-tech-2017-12
Tue, 19 Dec 2017 13:10:50 -0500Benjamin Zhang
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5a3930955124c981154fb53d-800/workers-clearing-wreckage-of-deadly-washington-state-train-crash.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: Rescue personnel and equipment are seen at the scene where an Amtrak passenger train derailed on a bridge over interstate highway I-5 in DuPont, Washington, U.S., December 18, 2017. REUTERS/Steve Dipaola/File Photo" data-mce-source="Thomson Reuters" data-mce-caption="FILE PHOTO: Rescue personnel and equipment are seen at the scene where an Amtrak passenger train derailed in DuPont" /></p><p></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Amtrak Cascades train 501 derailed near DuPont, Washington on Monday.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The train was going 80 mph in a 30 mph zone.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The train was not equipped with positive train control.</strong></li>
<li><strong>PTC technology can automatically slow down trains traveling at too high a speed.</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p>On Monday, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-investigators-try-to-determine-key-facts-about-crash-2017-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amtrak Cascades train 501 derailed near DuPont</a>, Washington. The incident resulted in the deaths of three passengers and the shut down of the southbound lanes of Interstate 5.</p>
<p>According to the National Transportation Safety Board, onboard data showed the train traveling at 80 mph at the time of the derailment; 50 mph above the 30 mph speed limit.</p>
<p>It's a tragic incident that could have possibly been prevented with the help of a safety system called positive train control (PTC).</p>
<p><span>The section of track where Monday's derailment occurred was equipped with PTC, a spokesman for the track's owner, Sound Transit told <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/19/us/positive-train-control-amtrak/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>. But, the system was not yet operational because it had not yet been installed on the trains, according to the report. In fact, PTC won't be fully operational on this segment of the track until the second quarter of 2018.</span></p>
<p><span>So what is positive train control?</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://www.aar.org/policy/positive-train-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PTC systems are made up of three elements</a>: an onboard system that monitors the locomotive, a wayside system that monitors track conditions, and a ground station server.</span></p>
<p><span>Using satellites, PTC technology has the ability to send warnings to those in control of the train. If there's no response, the tech can automatically slow down or even stop trains that are moving too fast or approaching a dangerous area at too high a speed.</span></p>
<p><span>To function properly, PTC systems must gather and analyze data on the train's stopping distance (weight and length); track composition and geography; train speed; and authorizations, the <a href="https://www.aar.org/policy/positive-train-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Association of American Railroads</a> explained on its website. </span></p>
<p><span>According to the <a href="https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0358" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Federal Rail Administration</a>, the system is designed to "reliably and functionally" prevent train-to-train collisions, derailments caused by excessive speed, unauthorized incursions into areas of track where maintenance is taking place, and train movement through a mainline switch in the wrong position. </span></p>
<p><span>In 2008, Congress mandated that all Class 1 railroad mainlines in the US, such as those used for scheduled passenger service, be equipped with PTC by December 31, 2015. That deadline was later pushed back to the end of 2018 with the possibility of an additional two-year extension. </span></p>
<p><span>Incredibly, <a href="https://www.fra.dot.gov/app/ptcsummary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FRA data shows</a> that through the second quarter of 2017 only 23% of passenger rails in the US had operational PTC and only 41% of passenger locomotives had functional PTC technology. </span></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-cascades-derail-point-defiance-bypass-2017-12" >The derailed Amtrak train in Washington marks a tragic end to a $181 million project</a></strong></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-derail-washington-positive-train-control-tech-2017-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blockchain-explainer-and-potential-2018-1">Here’s a great explanation of what the blockchain is from the person tasked with explaining it to the world</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-investigators-try-to-determine-key-facts-about-crash-2017-12The tragic Amtrak derailment raises 3 big questions for investigatorshttp://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-investigators-try-to-determine-key-facts-about-crash-2017-12
Tue, 19 Dec 2017 12:14:36 -0500Mark Matousek
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5a3939a04aa6b5c7198b5af6-2000/ap17353022223191.jpg" alt="amtrak crash" data-mce-source="Elaine Thompson / AP" data-link="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Train-Derailment-Washington-State/594c389dfc714306984d5e1e401887a4/6/1" /></p><p></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>An Amtrak train <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-derails-falls-onto-overpass-in-washington-2017-12">derailed</a> in Washington state on Monday, killing at least three people and injuring dozens more.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The train <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-washington-was-travelling-50-mph-above-speed-limit-when-it-crashed-2017-12">was traveling at 80 mph</a> in an area with a 30 mph speed limit when it derailed.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The National Transportation Safety Board expects to investigate the scene for about a week before beginning to determine the cause of the derailment.</strong></li>
<li><strong>It will have to determine whether any objects were on the track and whether the track had safety technology designed to prevent accidents.</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><br />An Amtrak train derailed in Washington state on Monday, killing at least three people and injuring dozens more.</p>
<p>The train was making its first trip on a new section of a route between Seattle and Portland, Oregon, that was part of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-cascades-derail-point-defiance-bypass-2017-12">a $181 million project</a> to cut travel times. While the Washington State Department of Transportation said the tracks for the new section were tested and inspected by multiple agencies before they were cleared for use, some local officials had concerns about the route.</p>
<p>The National Transportation Safety Board began its investigation on Monday to determine the exact cause of the accident, but during a press conference on Monday evening the agency said data taken from the train's rear car revealed that the train was traveling at 80 mph in a 30 mph zone.</p>
<p>The NTSB is not sure why the train was going that fast and expects to investigate the scene for about a week before beginning to determine an answer, but a few other questions could shed light on the matter.</p>
<p>The first is whether there were any objects on the track that could have caused the train to derail. Though the track for the new route was tested for over six months, an object could have fallen onto the track after the testing period.</p>
<p>Another question is whether positive train control was installed on the tracks for the new route. PTC is a technology that can detect when a train is going too fast and automatically engage the brakes if it senses the train could be headed for an accident.</p>
<p>The NTSB has <a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/Pages/2013_Train-Control_FRM.aspx">supported PTC</a> throughout the years, and <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/19/us/positive-train-control-amtrak/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to CNN</a> the tracks where the train derailed were equipped with the technology, but it was not yet in use.</p>
<p>A third possibility is that the engineer, the person who drives the train, made a mistake, either failing to recognize the speed limit or properly adjust the train's speed. Sound Transit, the regional agency that owns the tracks, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-washington-was-travelling-50-mph-above-speed-limit-when-it-crashed-2017-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said there were signs to warn engineers</a> of the speed-limit change 2 miles before the point where they would have to adjust the train's speed.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-amtrak-train-crash-derailment-washington-2017-12" >Photos show the moment an Amtrak train in Washington derailed and fell onto a highway</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-investigators-try-to-determine-key-facts-about-crash-2017-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musks-boring-company-selling-500-flamethrowers-tesla-musk-2018-1">Elon Musk's The Boring Company sold out of these $500 flamethrowers</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-washington-was-travelling-50-mph-above-speed-limit-when-it-crashed-2017-12Derailed Amtrak train that killed 3 was traveling at more than double the speed limithttp://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-washington-was-travelling-50-mph-above-speed-limit-when-it-crashed-2017-12
Tue, 19 Dec 2017 04:43:49 -0500Alexandra Ma
<p><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5a38e0dbb0bcd5b9008b5d0d-2000/ap17352685682725.jpg" alt="Amtrak cascades derailment" data-mce-source="AP" /></p><p></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>The train that derailed in Washington was going 80 mph in a 30 mph zone.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The National Transportation Safety Board cited data from an on-board recorder, which showed the train going much too fast.</strong></li>
<li><strong>It said it was "too early to tell" why it was going so quickly along a bend.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The crash came a month after the NTSB criticized Amtrak's "safety culture."</strong></li>
<li><strong>The death toll so far stands at three, with 10 people severely injured.</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><br />The Amtrak train that derailed in Washington state on Monday was traveling at more than double the speed limit, federal investigators have said.</p>
<p>Preliminary information from the train's event data recorder showed that the train was traveling 80 mph in a 30 mph zone when it derailed, the US National Transportation Safety Board member Bella Dinh-Zarr said at a press conference Monday night.</p>
<p>An event data recorder, like an airplane's so-called black box, <a href="https://www.rospa.com/road-safety/advice/vehicles/cars-in-the-future/event-data-recorders/">documents a vehicle's movements over a period of time</a>.</p>
<p>Dinh-Zarr said that it was "too early to tell" why the train was going so quickly and that the NTSB did not yet know what caused the train to derail.</p>
<p>The train was making its <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/amtrak-cascades-derail-point-defiance-bypass-2017-12">first journey along a new, faster route</a> from Seattle to Portland, Oregon, when it derailed derailed at 7:34 a.m. local time in Washington.</p>
<p>Several of the train cars flipped onto the Interstate 5 highway. At least three people have died, 10 have severe injuries, and at least 50 more received some form of medical treatment, according to the Associated Press.</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5a38dea2b0bcd5b9008b5d0b-1496/amtrak derailment.jpg" alt="amtrak derailment" data-mce-source="KOMO-TV via AP" data-mce-caption="An aerial image of the site of an Amtrak train that derailed in Washington state on Monday." /></p>
<p>A document from the Washington State Department of Transportation, cited by the Associated Press, instructs passenger trains to reduce their speed to 30 mph from 79 mph before the tracks curve across Interstate 5 at the point where the derailment took place.</p>
<p>A spokeswoman for Sound Transit, a regional agency that owns the tracks, said there were speed-limit signs 2 miles ahead of the place where the trains needed to slow down.</p>
<p>The deadly crash comes a month after the National Transportation Safety Board accused Amtrak of ignoring safety procedures and operating a "fractured safety program."</p>
<p>The board's chairman, Robert Sumwalt, <a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/pr20171114.aspx">wrote on November 14</a>: "Amtrak's safety culture is failing and is primed to fail again, until and unless Amtrak changes the way it practices safety management."</p>
<p>An Amtrak <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-amtrak-train-derails-near-philadelphia-injuring-some-2016-4">derailed in Pennsylvania in April 2016</a>.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/amtrak-cascades-derail-point-defiance-bypass-2017-12" >The derailed Amtrak train in Washington marks a tragic end to a $181 million project</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-washington-was-travelling-50-mph-above-speed-limit-when-it-crashed-2017-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bmw-broke-two-guinness-world-records-drifting-refuel-air-force-2018-1">BMW refueled a car Air Force style while drifting</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-ceo-responds-to-deadly-accident-2017-12Amtrak CEO responds to deadly accident: 'We are deeply saddened by all that has happened today'http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-ceo-responds-to-deadly-accident-2017-12
Mon, 18 Dec 2017 17:58:41 -0500Mark Matousek
<p><strong><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5a38427c4aa6b5c7008b5bec-2000/ap17177688819351.jpg" alt="richard anderson" data-mce-source="Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP" data-link="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Amtrak-CEO/d59cd40463e045589b897ade760a7810/1/0" /></strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>An Amtrak train <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-derails-falls-onto-overpass-in-washington-2017-12">derailed Monday morning</a> and sent several cars onto Interstate 5 in Washington state.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The accident resulted in multiple casualties, though authorities have not disclosed the exact number.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Amtrak president and co-CEO Richard Anderson responded to the accident Monday afternoon.</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><br />An Amtrak train <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-derails-falls-onto-overpass-in-washington-2017-12">derailed Monday morning</a>&nbsp;and sent several cars onto Interstate 5 in Washington state, killing multiple people. While the number of casualties has not been disclosed by authorities, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/83757b6c224148549b783567e79b1901/Amtrak-train-hurtles-off-overpass;-at-least-6-people-killed">has reported</a> at least six people died while on the train.</p>
<p>The train was headed from Seattle to Portland, Oregon, and the accident happened before 8 a.m. after the train had left the Tacoma station. It was making its first trip on a newly opened route that had been the subject of local concern.</p>
<p>Though the cause of the derailment was not clear, the National Transportation Safety Board is set to begin an investigation into the accident.</p>
<p>The Washington State Department of Transportation said that the tracks for the new route were tested and inspected by multiple agencies before their debut. But the mayor of Lakewood, a city in Pierce County, warned earlier this month that the route was an impending disaster.</p>
<p><span>&ldquo;Come back when there is that accident, and try to justify not putting in those safety enhancements, or you can go back now and advocate for the money to do it, because this project was never needed and endangers our citizens,&rdquo; he said at a meeting in early December<a href="http://komonews.com/news/local/lakewood-mayor-predicts-deadly-accidents-from-high-speed-train-service">, according to a report from KomoNews.com.&nbsp;</a></span></p>
<p><span>Amtrak president and co-CEO Richard Anderson responded to the accident Monday afternoon.</span></p>
<p><span>&ldquo;On behalf of everyone at Amtrak, we are deeply saddened by all that has happened today," he said <a href="https://twitter.com/Amtrak/status/942869277908111360">in a statement</a>. "We will do everything in our power to support our passengers and crew and their families.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span>The former <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/DAL-Quote">Delta Air Lines</a> CEO joined Amtrak <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/former-delta-air-lines-ceo-richard-anderson-to-become-amtrak-ceo-2017-6">in July</a>.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-amtrak-train-crash-derailment-washington-2017-12" >Photos show the moment an Amtrak train in Washington derailed and fell onto a highway</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-ceo-responds-to-deadly-accident-2017-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/buildable-cardboard-kit-hold-nintendo-switch-console-video-game-2018-2">We built Nintendo's next big thing, Nintendo Labo</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-derails-falls-onto-overpass-in-washington-2017-12Amtrak train derails off overpass and flips onto highway in Washington statehttp://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-derails-falls-onto-overpass-in-washington-2017-12
Mon, 18 Dec 2017 11:43:23 -0500Mark Matousek
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5a3803324aa6b527008b5a3d-1073/screen%20shot%202017-12-18%20at%20123538%20pm.jpg" alt="amtrak train derailment" data-mce-source="Twitter / wspd1pio" data-link="https://twitter.com/wspd1pio"></p><p></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>An Amtrak train derailed Monday morning, and part of it fell onto Interstate 5 in Washington state.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Amtrak estimates 80 passengers and five crew members were on the train.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Authorities said there were at least three deaths, and dozens were hospitalied.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency for Pierce and Thurston counties.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Amtrak said those who have been unable to contact friends or family on or near the train should call 800-523-9101.</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p><br>An Amtrak train derailed Monday morning, and several train cars flipped onto Interstate 5 in Washington state, killing at least three people, according to officials <a href="https://apnews.com/fe5485675d9844949d3ccc7105bf52fb/AP-FACT-CHECK:-Trump-doesn't-wait-for-facts-in-Amtrak-crash">cited by the Associated Press</a>.</p>
<p>Here's the breakdown of the injuries, according to law-enforcement officials who briefed reporters on Monday night:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>72 people evaluated and taken to hospitals.</strong></li>
<li><strong>10 people of that group were in serious condition.</strong></li>
<li><strong>4 people moderate injuries.</strong></li>
<li><strong>9 minor injuries.</strong></li>
</ul>
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PRELIMINARY INFO - Derailed Amtrak passenger train was heading south bound. Injuries and casualties reported, numbers to come. Media staging area at Eagles Pride Golf Course. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PCSD?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PCSD</a> PIO Troyer enroute, will not answer his cell while driving priority. </p>— Pierce Co Sheriff (@PierceSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/942793031857487872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2017</a>
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<p>Gov. Jay Inslee <a href="https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/proclamations/proc_17-13.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">declared</a> a state of emergency for Pierce and Thurston counties.</p>
<p>"Today’s tragic incident in Pierce County is a serious and ongoing emergency," he said <a href="https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-statement-amtrak-incident-pierce-county">in a statement</a>. "Trudi and I are holding in our hearts everyone on board, and are praying for the many injured. They are our top priority, and I know first responders are doing everything to ensure everyone has the care they need."</p>
<p>The train <a href="http://www.amtrakcascades.com/sites/default/files/Cascades%20Dec%2018%202017%20new%20schedule.pdf">was scheduled</a> to leave Seattle at 6 a.m. and arrive in Portland, Oregon, at 9:20 a.m Monday, but the accident happened before 8 a.m. south of Tacoma. The accident occurred during the first trip <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-cascades-derail-point-defiance-bypass-2017-12">on a new route </a>that was supposed to cut travel times.</p>
<p>Amtrak estimated <a href="https://www.amtrak.com/alert/service-disruption-south-of-seattle.html">on its website</a> that 78 passengers and five crew members were on the train.</p>
<p>Authorities have said there were several casualties but have not disclosed the exact number. The Associated Press has <a href="https://apnews.com/83757b6c224148549b783567e79b1901/Amtrak-train-hurtles-off-overpass;-at-least-6-people-killed">reported</a> there were at least six casualties. Pierce County detective Ed Troyer said there were no casualties in any of the cars that were damaged beneath the tracks.</p>
<p>The train had 14 cars, two of which were engines, according to Troyer. All but one car left the tracks. Five automobiles and two semi-trucks were struck by the train cars.</p>
<p>The Washington State Department of Transportation has closed southbound lanes on I-5 near DuPont and advised drivers to avoid all southbound lanes near Mounts Road, <a href="https://twitter.com/wsdot_tacoma/status/942795157220368384">according to the office's Twitter account</a>.</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5a380aee4aa6b53c358b50e5-1046/screenshot2017-12-18at13415pm.jpg" alt="amtrak derailment" data-mce-source="Screenshot / CBS News"></p>
<p>The Washington State Department of Transportation said <a href="https://twitter.com/wsdot">in a statement</a> that the tracks for the new route had been tested and inspected by several agencies before they were cleared for use. But some still had concerns about the route. Don Anderson, mayor of nearby Lakewood, warned DOT representatives that the route was not safe enough to open to the public <a href="http://komonews.com/news/local/lakewood-mayor-predicts-deadly-accidents-from-high-speed-train-service">at a meeting in December</a>.</p>
<p>“Come back when there is that accident, and try to justify not putting in those safety enhancements, or you can go back now and advocate for the money to do it, because this project was never needed and endangers our citizens,” he said.</p>
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Individuals with questions about their friends and family on train 501 should call 800-523-9101 </p>— Amtrak (@Amtrak) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/942808942186586114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2017</a>
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<p>Amtrak said those who have been unable to contact friends or family on or near the train should call <strong>800-523-9101</strong>.</p>
<p>“On behalf of everyone at Amtrak, we are deeply saddened by all that has happened today," Amtrak president and co-CEO Richard Anderson said <a href="https://twitter.com/Amtrak/status/942869277908111360">in a statement</a>. "We will do everything in our power to support our passengers and crew and their families.”</p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5a380429b0bcd58c028b5a6e-800/screen%20shot%202017-12-18%20at%2010312%20pm.jpg" alt="amtrak derailment" data-mce-source="Twitter / wspd1pio" data-link="https://twitter.com/wspd1pio/status/942797590067789825"></p>
<p>Amtrak has cancelled Amtrak Cascade trains 504 and 509. Trains from Seattle traveling north and east will continue to run.</p>
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The train accident that just occurred in DuPont, WA shows more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly. Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads, bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! Not for long! </p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/942827072824672262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2017</a>
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<p>While the accident's cause has not yet been discovered, CNN <a href="http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2017/12/18/amtrak-train-conductor-audio-sot.cnn/video/playlists/washington-passenger-train-derailment/">obtained audio</a> from the Amtrak conductor's radio call reporting the accident. The conductor said after the train turned a corner onto a bridge, part of it abruptly fell from the track.</p>
<p>US President Donald Trump <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/942827072824672262">tweeted</a> Monday afternoon that the accident is evidence that his "soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly."</p>
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My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the train accident in DuPont, Washington. Thank you to all of our wonderful First Responders who are on the scene. We are currently monitoring here at the White House. </p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/942829676699021312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2017</a>
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<p>Ten minutes later, he <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/942829676699021312">expressed his condolences</a> to those affected by the accident.</p>
<p>He highlighted both points at the beginning of a speech about his national-security strategy.</p>
<p>"It is all the more reason why we must start immediately fixing the infrastructure of the United States,” he said.</p>
<p>The National Transportation Safety Board <a href="https://twitter.com/NTSB_Newsroom/status/942812040766386181">said</a> it would launch an investigation into the derailment. NTSB board member Bella Dinh-Zarr said investigators from the organization would arrive at the scene starting this afternoon. The investigators will interview the train's crew members and collect data from the train.</p>
<h2>Photos of the derailment have appeared on Twitter.</h2>
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Photos from scene of amtrak passenger train derailment <a href="https://t.co/gd09MzLCC6">pic.twitter.com/gd09MzLCC6</a> </p>— Pierce Co Sheriff (@PierceSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/942804212701806594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2017</a>
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More photos from scene of Amtrak train derailment <a href="https://t.co/yWEJejp1H2">pic.twitter.com/yWEJejp1H2</a> </p>— Pierce Co Sheriff (@PierceSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/942806710489554945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2017</a>
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WSP diverting traffic at DuPont. WSP aiding withbroad closure &amp; getting assistance to scene. <a href="https://t.co/fRw4uGNIVv">pic.twitter.com/fRw4uGNIVv</a> </p>— Trooper Brooke Bova (@wspd1pio) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/942797590067789825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2017</a>
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<p><em>This is a developing story. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-derails-falls-onto-overpass-in-washington-2017-12">Click here to refresh this page for updates</a>.</em></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sv-100-transportation-leaders-2016-7" >The 11 most important people in Silicon Valley who are shaping the future of transportation</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-train-derails-falls-onto-overpass-in-washington-2017-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/zero1-morphing-football-helmet-nfl-uses-super-bowl-ncaa-2018-2">The NFL is using this football helmet that morphs on impact to reduce head injuries</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/thomas-the-tank-engine-toy-alive-space-mask-2017-12The internet is freaking out about this Thomas the Tank Engine toy that seems to prove a strange fan theoryhttp://www.businessinsider.com/thomas-the-tank-engine-toy-alive-space-mask-2017-12
Mon, 18 Dec 2017 10:53:53 -0500Sarah Schmalbruch
<p><strong><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5a37e4c9ec1ade2faa34fd89-800/thomas%20the%20tank%20engine%20space%20mask.jpg" alt="Thomas the Tank Engine Space Mask" data-mce-source="Toys R Us" data-link="https://www.toysrus.com/product?productId=111973066&amp;source=CAPLA_DF:111973066:TRUS&amp;cagpspn=plat_4F366E35&amp;camp=PLAPPCG-_-PID4F366E35:TRUS&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjemaiv6R2AIVkLjACh2OfgSfEAQYASABEgKEt_D_BwE"></strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>A recent Tweet by comedian Heather Anne Campbell claims there's evidence for the theory that there's a creature inside Thomas the Tank Engine.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Campbell tweeted a photo of a toy version of the train that's equipped with a space mask.</strong></li>
<li><strong>She says this implies that Thomas' face breathes and has lungs and blood.</strong></li>
<li><strong>In the past, people have proposed theories that there's a human inside the train.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Parents also think that the show is full of hidden meanings inspired by fascism, imperialism, and racism.</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>Many people know Thomas the Tank Engine simply as a fictional steam locomotive who started off as a character in "The Railway Series" books and now stars in the spin-off TV show <a href="http://www.thomasandfriends.com/en-us/">"Thomas &amp; Friends."</a></p>
<p>Others, however, subscribe to the theory that Thomas' face belongs to a creature who is contained inside the locomotive.</p>
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For those that wonder about Cars anatomy, here's Thomas the Tank Engine's true form <a href="https://t.co/lMeK5jlrHD">pic.twitter.com/lMeK5jlrHD</a> </p>— Joel Carroll (@joelcarroll) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/881914585212747776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2017</a>
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<p>In fact, there's even a <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/1710853-thomas-the-terror-engine">T-shirt</a> dedicated to the theory.</p>
<p>And now a recent tweet by comedian Heather Anne Campbell is claiming there's evidence for that theory. Campbell tweeted a photo of a toy version of the train called <a href="https://www.toysrus.com/product?productId=111973066&amp;source=CAPLA_DF:111973066:TRUS&amp;cagpspn=plat_4F366E35&amp;camp=PLAPPCG-_-PID4F366E35:TRUS&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjemaiv6R2AIVkLjACh2OfgSfEAQYASABEgKEt_D_BwE">Space Mission Thomas Engine</a>. The toy comes equipped with a space mask. It's a product of the TV show's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA6hcowyd40">"Space Mission" episode</a>, in which Thomas dreams of being in space.</p>
<p>Campbell tweeted that the space mask implies "that the face breathes, which means it has lungs and blood."</p>
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the implication here is that the face breathes<br>which means it has lungs and blood <a href="https://t.co/fymeQTIGrr">pic.twitter.com/fymeQTIGrr</a> </p>— Heather Anne Campbell (@heathercampbell) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/941408918726615040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2017</a>
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<p>The tweet racked up over 8,000 retweets and 305 comments. Many commentors offered up impressively scientific explanations that go against the theory, claiming that the locomotive needs air to burn coal, not to breathe.</p>
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I beg to differ... the air goes directly to the burning coal. The implication here is that they are - for some reason- required to supply the air exclusively through the face and not directly to the burning chamber. </p>— Rodrigo 🐥 (@BravoSiguenza) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/942235518879879168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2017</a>
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<p>Twitter user @GregroxMun even posed his own design for the train's space mask:</p>
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The design is unrealistic. Here's a better design. Face is encapsulated by the helmet so no gasses are lost. Funnel leads exhaust to a recooler (should add radiator i guess) and then funnels back into side tanks as water. Solar mirror replaces coal-fired boiler. Rocket on back. <a href="https://t.co/TlKhhnGZrE">pic.twitter.com/TlKhhnGZrE</a> </p>— GregroxMun (@GregroxMun) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/942417204733251585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2017</a>
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<p>Others, however, took Campbell's tweet as an opportunity to reignite the theory that there's a human inside the train with creepy drawings:</p>
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<a href="https://t.co/06UkArRQ3S">pic.twitter.com/06UkArRQ3S</a> </p>— Roooooooooooooooooon Miiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaaan 🇩🇪 (@RoonMian) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/941775702348746753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2017</a>
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<a href="https://t.co/bCw7JSksgj">pic.twitter.com/bCw7JSksgj</a> </p>— Jace Thomas (@jacethomas) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/942239838169976832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2017</a>
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<p>This isn't the only theory surrounding the seemingly-innocent locomotive and his fellow engine friends. For years, parents have claimed that the TV show is full of <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2011/07/thomas_the_imperialist_tank_engine.html">hidden meanings</a> inspired by imperialism, fascism, and racism. </p>
<p>One thing's for sure — you'll never look at Thomas the Tank Engine the same way again.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/thomas-the-tank-engine-toy-alive-space-mask-2017-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ufo-video-department-of-defense-scientists-dont-care-2018-1">Why most scientists don't care about these incredible UFO videos</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/electric-trucks-are-coming-faster-than-you-ever-imagined-2017-12Electric trucks are coming faster than you ever imaginedhttp://www.businessinsider.com/electric-trucks-are-coming-faster-than-you-ever-imagined-2017-12
Tue, 05 Dec 2017 19:35:00 -0500Peter Tertzakian
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5a26f7b63dbef430008ba31c-781/exclusive-major-us-trucking-firm-daseke-buys-three-firms.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO - Trucks waiting to cross the Canadian border into the United States line up in Surrey, British Columbia, U.S. on March 19, 2003. REUTERS/Andy Clark/File Photo/File Photo" data-mce-source="Thomson Reuters" data-mce-caption="FILE PHOTO - Trucks waiting to cross the Canadain border into the United States line up in Surrey, British Columbia" /></p><p></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>As batteries get cheaper, electric trucks will expand quicker than cars because of the economic incentives they present companies.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The shift is similar to when the diesel-electric locomotive was first invented.&nbsp;</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><br />Not long ago, the idea of 18-wheelers pulling cargo with a battery seemed somewhat ludicrous to me. But I&rsquo;ve changed my mind.</p>
<p>In fact, I would argue that electrically-powered wheels may come to the trucking market faster than the world of passenger cars.</p>
<p>The reason is simple. Trucking companies&mdash;like any capitalist, profit-maximizing institution&mdash;make rational purchase decisions based on careful assessments of economic viability. Any capable Chief Financial Officer is algorithmically brain-wired to ask, &ldquo;Is this thing going to make our company any more money?&rdquo; If the answer is &ldquo;yes,&rdquo; the switch is often fast.</p>
<p>Individuals on the other hand are often motivated by soft sell factors like vanity, size and flexibility, not to mention instant convenience. A good set of cup holders often trumps fuel economy. The option to haul a sheet of plywood on a moment&rsquo;s notice, if only twice a year, is perceived as worth the cost of supersizing a vehicle purchase.</p>
<p>Personal transport choices have long been incompatible with making good financial decisions (I can validate that fact personally). Yes, I know that new money saving modalities like ride-sharing are redefining the way some people move around, but there is more of the vehicle world to take on than just Manhattan and Berlin.</p>
<p>But let&rsquo;s get back to thinking about changing the face of the trucking business. Can we think of a historical analogy that helps us consider whether an electric truck will gain favor over a tried-and-true diesel? The criteria for comparison are: (1) both old and new systems must be on wheels; (2) the energy source is changing; (3) the propulsion method that drives the wheels is changing; and, (4) the procurement is being driven by business decisions.<span></span></p>
<p>The closest example I can think of is railroad locomotives; the transition from coal-fired steam boilers to petroleum-powered diesel engines. Because of superior performance, the substitution away from big iron horses was fast, meaningfully starting in the 1940s and ending with complete obsolescence by the early 1970s. &ldquo;Fast,&rdquo; however, still translated into three decades.</p>
<p>Our chart this week shows the rate of diesel locomotive adoption over time, which followed a typical S-shaped pattern. Looking at the data, the 30-year transition happened at a much faster pace than any current analyst projection for personal electric vehicles. In fact, it happened faster than the extreme hypothetical scenario under which the sale of all internal combustion engines is globally banned by 2040 (<a href="https://www.arcenergyinstitute.com/commentary-old-pistons-die-hard/">see my column from October 16th</a>).</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5a26f4e6f914c353018b805c-1004/1512427400-fig1.jpg" alt="1512427400 fig1" data-mce-source="Oilprice.com" /></p>
<p>A diesel locomotive had compellingly better utility over its steamy predecessor. The engineer didn&rsquo;t have to waste time stopping at water towers to fill up the boiler. Nor was there a need for a tender car and a guy in black overalls to shovel coal into a fire-box. Everything was superior: range, power and control. All put together it meant greater productivity, lower operating cost and an ear-to-ear grin on the CFO&rsquo;s face.</p>
<p>In fact, if you were a railroad operator still running steam engines in the mid-20<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;century, you were probably headed toward bankruptcy. Your competitors with shiny new diesel equipment would have been stealing customers with better service and lower prices for hauling goods.</p>
<p>And that&rsquo;s the thing in the business world that drives faster transitions to newer products and processes: the threat of being uncompetitive, or outright bankruptcy. It&rsquo;s a powerful force for change.<span></span></p>
<p>As a side note, households don&rsquo;t often feel that force. Do you feel competitive pressure to buy an electric vehicle over gasoline? For most individuals, competition means keeping up with the Jones&rsquo;, which often leads to irrational financial decisions.</p>
<p>Within the trucking business, Tesla, Cummins and several other manufacturers are in the fray to build the next generation. But it&rsquo;s still too early to tell how the pros, cons and dollars stack up.&nbsp;Over the next couple of years, CFOs will be grinding spreadsheets to see if electrified trucks make financial sense. Lower energy and maintenance costs, as well as the promise of efficiency gains by virtue of autonomous driving technologies, tells me there is significant potential for electric propulsion in trucking. I think some niches are likely to haul change in the near future. Within the heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) market I&rsquo;ll put my money on step vans first &ndash; the type that blocks a city road when delivering my Amazon order.</p>
<p>Several companies with trucking fleets have pre-ordered the Tesla Semi in small quantities, already signaling an interest. However, an important cue will be when the first big trucking company starts making the switch. That will mean there is money to be made. And when this happens the train will have left the station.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/keystone-pipeline-far-from-certain-2017-11" >The Keystone oil pipeline is far from a done deal</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/electric-trucks-are-coming-faster-than-you-ever-imagined-2017-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-president-brad-smith-davos-interview-trump-us-cant-get-too-isolationist-2018-1">Microsoft President Brad Smith says the US shouldn't get 'too isolationist'</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/best-way-to-travel-between-boston-and-new-york-2016-11I took a ride on the Rolls-Royce of buses — and it was way better than Amtrakhttp://www.businessinsider.com/best-way-to-travel-between-boston-and-new-york-2016-11
Fri, 24 Nov 2017 11:25:00 -0500Hollis Johnson
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5609bbcdbd86ef1b008bdac8-3264-2448/amtrak 17.jpg" alt="Amtrak 17" data-mce-source="Hollis Johnson" /></p><p></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>The holiday season is one of the busiest times to travel all year.</strong></li>
<li><strong>On a recent trip to Boston, I compared an Amtrak regional train to a luxury bus service called LimoLiner.</strong></li>
<li><strong>LimoLiner far exceeded my expectations and was better than Amtrak.</strong></li>
</ul>
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<p><br />The airport is not the most enjoyable place to find yourself, especially in the midst of the holiday rush.</p>
<p>Security lines, forever-rising ticket prices, and seemingly arbitrary fees all create a stressful and pricey experience.</p>
<p>Some are looking to other forms of transportation for an alternative. Amtrak's Northeast Corridor alone counted some <a href="https://media.amtrak.com/2016/11/amtrak-delivers-strong-fy-2016-financial-results/">11.9 million passengers</a> in its 2016 fiscal year, its highest ridership yet.</p>
<p>And <a href="http://las.depaul.edu/centers-and-institutes/chaddick-institute-for-metropolitan-development/research-and-publications/Documents/2015%20Year%20in%20Review%20of%20Intercity%20Bus%20Service%20in%20the%20United%20States-110116.pdf">a study</a> from the Chaddick Institute found that intercity bus ridership across the US had also risen by 3.3 million passengers since 2013, reaching a new high of 61.6 million.</p>
<p>But buses are cramped and slow, earning their spot at the bottom rung of the transportation ladder. Trains aren't getting any faster, either, as the nation's <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/27/nyregion/aging-infrastructure-plagues-nations-busiest-rail-corridor.html">rickety rail infrastructure</a> ages and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/one-thing-is-stopping-the-us-from-building-a-high-speed-rail-system-2015-9">high-speed proposals are stymied</a>.</p>
<p>I travel from New York City to Boston frequently, usually by bus, but after countless trips with my legs folded up like origami in uncomfortable seats, I'd just about had enough.</p>
<p>I had heard about <a href="http://my.limoliner.com/">LimoLiner</a>, a luxury bus service that makes three round-trips between New York and Boston Monday through Thursday every week. It makes more trips between the two cities over the weekend. With perks like free meals and individual leather seats, LimoLiner made Megabus sound like a stagecoach by comparison.</p>
<p>On a trip to Boston, I decided to compare LimoLiner with an <a href="http://www.amtrak.com/home">Amtrak</a> regional train to see which one offered a more comfortable experience for the price &mdash; and I was surprised by what I found.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/porsche-panamera-is-business-insider-2017-car-of-the-year-2017-11" >The Porsche Panamera is Business Insider's 2017 Car of the Year</a></strong></p>
<h3>I was pretty excited to be taking the train after so many terrible bus rides to Boston and back. I boarded the Amtrak train at Penn Station, a cavernous and ill-conceived grotto of labyrinthine walkways and escalators beneath Madison Square Garden in New York. No one wants to go to Penn Station.</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5609bbcdbd86ef1b008bdac8-400-300/i-was-pretty-excited-to-be-taking-the-train-after-so-many-terrible-bus-rides-to-boston-and-back-i-boarded-the-amtrak-train-at-penn-station-a-cavernous-and-ill-conceived-grotto-of-labyrinthine-walkways-and-escalators-beneath-madison-square-garden-in-new-york-no-one-wants-to-go-to-penn-station.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>The train left right on time after a painless boarding process, and within five minutes we were zipping through Queens.</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5609bb9d9dd7cc22008bdb87-400-300/the-train-left-right-on-time-after-a-painless-boarding-process-and-within-five-minutes-we-were-zipping-through-queens.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>At $128 one-way, the train isn't wildly expensive, but it's not exactly the lap of luxury. Of course, the prices differ depending on the departure time. My train left at 7 a.m.</h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5609bba8bd86ef11008bd96d-400-300/at-128-one-way-the-train-isnt-wildly-expensive-but-its-not-exactly-the-lap-of-luxury-of-course-the-prices-differ-depending-on-the-departure-time-my-train-left-at-7-am.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-way-to-travel-between-boston-and-new-york-2016-11#/#plus-coach-is-considerably-less-expensive-than-business-class-and-much-less-costly-than-the-acela-high-speed-train-this-is-the-coach-experience-one-aisle-two-seats-on-each-side-similar-to-the-average-economy-class-flight-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/secret-nyc-vintage-subway-2017-11New York City's secret subway line with antique cars is going back into service — here's what it's like to ride ithttp://www.businessinsider.com/secret-nyc-vintage-subway-2017-11
Sun, 19 Nov 2017 16:30:07 -0500Ben Gilbert
<p>The New York City subway system is one of the most fascinating curiosities in a city full of mysteries. Miles of underground track shrouded in darkness, littered with abandoned stations and secret passageways &mdash; it's a common object of desire for the urban explorers among us.</p>
<p>And, occasionally, New York City acknowledges the delightful mystery surrounding its 24-hour transportation system. The annual "Holiday Nostalgia" train line is a perfect example of this:</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/584ed201ca7f0c1b008b50b8-1333/img20161211132935.jpg" alt="Shopper's Special NYC subway" data-mce-source="Ben Gilbert/Business Insider" /></p>
<p>The train line, consisting of eight vintage New York subway cars from several different eras, runs for a few weekends each year &mdash; from the Sunday after Thanksgiving to the end of the year, only on Sundays. It costs the same $2.75 as any subway ride.</p>
<p>So what'd we do? We got on the train and took a ride, of course! This is what it's like.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/this-is-why-the-new-york-city-subway-is-always-delayed-2015-11" >The New York subway system runs on 100-year-old technology</a></strong></p>
<h3>I got on at the Second Avenue stop in Manhattan — in 2016, the train ran between the Second Avenue stop in Manhattan and the Queens Plaza stop in Queens.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/584ed4b7a1a45e9f018b51ed-400-300/i-got-on-at-the-second-avenue-stop-in-manhattan--in-2016-the-train-ran-between-the-second-avenue-stop-in-manhattan-and-the-queens-plaza-stop-in-queens.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>In 2017, the holiday train is running on&nbsp;the F line between 2nd Av and Lexington Avenue / 63rd Street, and via the Q line between Lexington Avenue / 63rd Street and 96th Street on the Upper East Side.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>As you can see from last's year schedule, the train runs throughout the day starting at 10 a.m. and concluding at about 5 p.m.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/584ed4f0a1a45e46008b521d-400-300/as-you-can-see-from-lasts-year-schedule-the-train-runs-throughout-the-day-starting-at-10-am-and-concluding-at-about-5-pm.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>The schedule is slightly different for 2017 because of the two different lines the line is running on. According to the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the train "departs from the 2nd Avenue subway station on the F line at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. and from the 96th Street subway station on the Q line at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m."</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Even though we arrived at 12:30, there were already a bunch of people waiting — some were clearly tourists; others were clearly New Yorkers.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/584ed585a1a45e1b008b51ee-400-300/even-though-we-arrived-at-1230-there-were-already-a-bunch-of-people-waiting--some-were-clearly-tourists-others-were-clearly-new-yorkers.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/secret-nyc-vintage-subway-2017-11#/#a-ton-of-people-on-the-train-were-dressed-in-period-appropriate-clothing-of-note-these-are-bnotb-paid-actors-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/china-just-relaunched-the-worlds-fastest-train-2017-8China just relaunched the world’s fastest trainhttp://www.businessinsider.com/china-just-relaunched-the-worlds-fastest-train-2017-8
Mon, 21 Aug 2017 09:35:42 -0400Natasha Bach
<p data-reactid="221"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/599ae1ca46a54c2d27061675-2400/rtr3bvzm.jpg" alt="Harmony bullet trains at a high-speed train maintenance base in Wuhan, Hubei province. China has the world's longest high-speed-rail network, more than the rest of the world combined." data-mce-source="REUTERS / Stringer" data-mce-caption="Harmony bullet trains at a high-speed train maintenance base in Wuhan, Hubei province. China has the world's longest high-speed-rail network, more than the rest of the world combined." /></p><p></p>
<p data-reactid="221">China will once again hold the title for the world&rsquo;s fastest train.</p>
<p data-reactid="223">Following a fatal crash in 2011, the high-speed train service reduced its upper limit from its then-record holding 350 km/h (217 miles/hour) to 250-300 km/h (155-186 miles/hour). But as China seeks to stay ahead globally in its rail services and sell its bullet trains and railways as part of the &ldquo;Belt and Road Initiative,&rdquo; it has decided to relaunch the world&rsquo;s fastest train service.</p>
<p data-reactid="226">Government-controlled website Thepaper.cn reported that seven pairs of bullet trains will be operating under the name &ldquo;Fuxing,&rdquo; meaning rejuvenation,<span>&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/2107553/china-rev-bullet-train-revolution-worlds-fastest-service-shanghai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-reactid="228">according</a><span>&nbsp;</span>to the<span>&nbsp;</span><em data-reactid="231">South China Morning Post</em>. The trains will once again run at 350 km/h, with a maximum speed of 400 km/h (248 mph). It is<span>&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/international/get-ready-for-fuxing-world-s-fastest-train-is-launching-in-september-117082100294_1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-reactid="233">reported</a><span>&nbsp;</span>that the train service will boast a monitoring system that will automatically slow the trains in case of emergency.</p>
<p data-reactid="226"><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/599ae1ca46a54c2d27061677-2400/rtr4t644.jpg" alt="A worker stands among Harmony bullet trains at a high-speed train maintenance base in Wuhan, Hubei province." data-mce-source="REUTERS / Stringer" data-mce-caption="A worker stands among Harmony bullet trains at a high-speed train maintenance base in Wuhan, Hubei province." /></p>
<p data-reactid="236">The Beijing-Shanghai line will begin operating on 21 September and will shorten the nearly 820-mile journey by an hour, to four hours thirty minutes. Nearly 600 million people use this route each year, providing a reported $1 billion in profits. Other routes include Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, which will begin operation today.</p>
<p data-reactid="238">China has laid more than 12,400 miles of high-speed rail to date, with the intention of adding another 6,000 miles by 2020. According to the<span>&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/newswires/news/business/china-world-fastest-bullet-trains-article-1.3428410" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-reactid="240">Associated Press</a>, the country has spent $360 billion building the network of high-speed rail, creating the largest in the world.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/china-just-relaunched-the-worlds-fastest-train-2017-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bud-light-dilly-dilly-viral-commercial-super-bowl-campaign-2017-12">What 'Dilly Dilly' means — and how Bud Light came up with its viral campaign</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-subway-runs-all-night-and-thats-why-its-great-2017-8Say what you want about the NYC subway — there's one thing that makes it much better than most other subways in the worldhttp://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-subway-runs-all-night-and-thats-why-its-great-2017-8
Fri, 18 Aug 2017 13:38:41 -0400Emily Cohn
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5997206ef1a850bb028b5eea-2000/ap17150477227000 1.jpg" alt="NYC subway" data-mce-source="AP" /></p><p>The New York City Subway has had its <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-subway-derails-125th-street-2017-6">fair share</a> of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-mta-subway-delay-2017-6">problems</a> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-subway-a-train-delay-trash-fire-2017-7">lately</a>. And I won't pretend I haven't complained loudly about&nbsp;the system's <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/31/nyregion/why-is-subway-service-in-new-york-getting-worse.html?mcubz=3">state of disrepair</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The subway is smelly, it's <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/28/nyregion/subway-delays-overcrowding.html?mcubz=3">overcrowded</a>, it's often delayed.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But there's one thing that sets the New York City subway system apart from most other transit systems in the world: It never stops running.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The MTA's&nbsp;<span>230 miles of tracks run trains 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. In my nearly three decades in this city, it's only shut down a handful of times. In fact, the 113-year-old system experienced its <a href="http://nypost.com/2011/08/27/hurricane-irene-halts-ny-nj-mass-transit/">first-ever</a> weather-related shutdown in 2011 in preparation for Hurricane Irene.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>That's remarkably impressive. Most other big cities shut down their subway systems every single day.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>In fact, the six largest metro systems in the world by annual ridership &mdash; Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Guangzhou, Toyko, and Mosco &mdash; all shut down at night.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/london-underground-better-than-nyc-subway-2017-8">The London Tube</a> may have fancy turnstiles and futuristic platform screen doors, but the subway system&nbsp;closes every day.</span></p>
<p><span><img class="float_left" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/599721ebf1a850bb028b5efa-711/new-york-subway-chief-unveils-emergency-plan-for-failing-system.jpg" alt="FILE PHOTO: A performer sings and plays guitar on the subway in New York City, U.S., May 20, 2017. REUTERS/Joe Penney " data-mce-source="Thomson Reuters" data-mce-caption="FILE PHOTO: A performer sings and plays guitar on the subway in New York City" />The same can be said about other subway systems in the US. </span></p>
<p><span>Only five rapid transit systems in the country have 24-hour service, and three of them &mdash; the subway, the Staten Island Railway, and the PATH &mdash; all service New York City. Chicago's "L" is only&nbsp;24/7 on some of its lines.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>I appreciate the plush seats and clean floors on subway systems in cities like Boston, Washington, DC, and San Francisco. But the fact is those nice cars don't do much for the millions of people who have to get somewhere in the middle of the night.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Subway systems that shut down are more than just an inconvenience for late night revelers. For millions of night-shift workers, they make getting to work a nearly impossible feat.</p>
<p>Being open all night long is part of what makes New York's subway the city's great equalizer.</p>
<p>Wall Street bankers and janitors alike rely on the transit system. It's the fastest way to get from point A to point B. It costs the same despite how far you're traveling. Most impressive: You can rely on it at all hours of the day and it doesn't discriminate against people who work off-hours.</p>
<p>So say what you want about the subway. There's a lot that needs fixing and improving. But a subway system that runs 100% of the time is far superior&nbsp;to one that doesn't.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/london-underground-better-than-nyc-subway-2017-8" >I rode London's famous Underground system for a week — and I saw why New York's subway will never catch up</a></strong></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-subway-runs-all-night-and-thats-why-its-great-2017-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/vintage-video-shows-nyc-subway-1949-transit-museum-metro-mta-2017-7">This vintage video shows what New York City's subway was like in the 1940s</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/london-underground-better-than-nyc-subway-2017-8I rode London's famous Underground system for a week — and I saw why New York's subway will never catch uphttp://www.businessinsider.com/london-underground-better-than-nyc-subway-2017-8
Thu, 17 Aug 2017 09:12:00 -0400Dennis Green
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/59949fceb0e0b58e728b4a86-886/shutterstock161778197.jpg" alt="London Underground" data-mce-source="Shutterstock" /></p><p>It was the summer of hell, and I needed some relief.</p>
<p>To take a break from the swamp that New York City becomes in the summer, I took a weeklong trip to the sunny paradise of London for a well-deserved vacation.</p>
<p>OK, fine. London may not be that sunny, but it is a transportation paradise. When comparing it with New York, anyway, London seems like a city that cares about its public transportation. Its trains run often, its buses have a priority network, and there's even a congestion charge for private cars driving in the city center that feeds money back into the transportation projects.</p>
<p>Things are <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/q-subway-derails-nyc-2017-7">not so great</a> in New York right now. The state and city are in an interminable battle to escape blame for the crumbling infrastructure that millions of New Yorkers rely on every day. But some fixes being suggested now, like congestion charging, have already been at work in London for years.</p>
<p>I decided my vacation would be a good opportunity to see how London's public transportation system works. Not once did I get stuck in a tunnel or even have to wait longer than four minutes for a train &mdash; and with countdown clocks at nearly every station, I always knew when the next train was coming. I also never had to detour because of track work, which is done overnight in London.</p>
<p>I think it's best summarized in the status update heard over the PA system every so often in the Underground: "There is good service on all London Underground lines." You definitely don't hear that every day in New York.</p>
<p>While New York often uses the age of its system as an excuse, I saw how London overcame its ancient architecture &mdash; some of which dates back to the mid-19th century &mdash; to build a modern transportation system. Honestly, it felt strange to be in a city where the denizens didn't constantly gripe about how long it took to get wherever they were.</p>
<p>Here's a sample journey I made, which I think highlights what makes London so much easier to get around.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/soho-new-york-is-struggling-to-fill-vacant-storefronts-2017-8" >One of New York's most iconic shopping districts is dying</a></strong></p>
<h3>After making a few quick east-west trips on the Underground, I decided to put it to the test by going some distance. I was going to visit a friend in a northern part of London. This was a bit of a trip — about 5 miles through the city center, or a 40-minute drive, according to Google Maps.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/598e23fbb0e0b51d008b46a8-400-300/after-making-a-few-quick-east-west-trips-on-the-underground-i-decided-to-put-it-to-the-test-by-going-some-distance-i-was-going-to-visit-a-friend-in-a-northern-part-of-london-this-was-a-bit-of-a-trip--about-5-miles-through-the-city-center-or-a-40-minute-drive-according-to-google-maps.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>To get to Stoke Newington from Waterloo via transit, I could have taken a bus. As nice as the buses are in London, that didn't seem appealing. Another option was to take the Underground as well as the Overground. It said it would take me 40 minutes &mdash; not bad!</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>The Overground operates a lot like a normal subway, with some elements of a commuter rail. The trains are wider but shorter, and they travel mostly above ground on the outskirts of the city. I was worried about how easy it would be to catch one, but I took my chances.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/598e23fdf1a85026008b46a8-400-300/the-overground-operates-a-lot-like-a-normal-subway-with-some-elements-of-a-commuter-rail-the-trains-are-wider-but-shorter-and-they-travel-mostly-above-ground-on-the-outskirts-of-the-city-i-was-worried-about-how-easy-it-would-be-to-catch-one-but-i-took-my-chances.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Nearly every journey on London transportation starts with an Oyster card. I started mine at Waterloo station with the plan to take the Jubilee line eastbound. In London, you pay a fare that fluctuates according to the zones you travel through. I went on two separate systems, from Zone 1 to Zone 2, which cost less than £3 (about $3.90).</h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/598e23fcf1a850bb028b4623-400-300/nearly-every-journey-on-london-transportation-starts-with-an-oyster-card-i-started-mine-at-waterloo-station-with-the-plan-to-take-the-jubilee-line-eastbound-in-london-you-pay-a-fare-that-fluctuates-according-to-the-zones-you-travel-through-i-went-on-two-separate-systems-from-zone-1-to-zone-2-which-cost-less-than-3-about-390.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>A &pound;5 deposit gets you an Oyster card to use for as long as you need &mdash; it never expires. You can also turn it in and receive a refund for the &pound;5 you paid, plus any remaining balance on it.</p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/london-underground-better-than-nyc-subway-2017-8#/#each-station-has-this-yellow-pad-that-you-touch-the-card-to-open-the-gates-theres-no-swiping-whatsoever-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/london-commuters-receive-the-worst-train-service-in-the-country-2017-7London commuters receive the worst train service in the countryhttp://www.businessinsider.com/london-commuters-receive-the-worst-train-service-in-the-country-2017-7
Tue, 25 Jul 2017 07:39:00 -0400Dick Murry
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/59772e05dde1893c3a6f904b-2400/rtr3n2ct.jpg" alt="london underground tube" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Neil Hall" data-mce-caption="Commuters board an underground train at King's Cross station in London April 29, 2014." /></p><p></p>
<p>London and south east rail commuters suffer&nbsp;the worst rail service&nbsp;in the country, according to an official survey published today.</p>
<p>Southern, beset by 16 months of strikes, Thameslink, Southeastern and Great Northern all came bottom of the passenger satisfaction list of operators across the UK.</p>
<p>For Southern, just 72 per cent &ndash; fewer than three out of four &ndash; passengers believed they received a good service; for Thameslink the figure was 75 per cent, Great Northern 79 per cent and Southeastern 81 per cent.</p>
<p>South West trains suffered at slight decline to finish with 81 per cent overall satisfaction.</p>
<p>The bi-annual survey, conducted by Transport Focus, the independent rail watchdog, conducts in-depth interviews with more than 55,000 passengers a year to produce the world&rsquo;s largest survey.</p>
<p>Although most of the London operators saw a percentage increase in their overall passenger satisfaction scores Anthony Smith, the watchdog&rsquo;s chief executive, told the companies they must do more.</p>
<p>He said: &ldquo;Passengers using services in London and the South East have seen an improvement with an increase in overall satisfaction from 79 per cent last year to 82 per cent this year.</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/59772e05dde1893c3a6f904c-2000/gettyimages-615362848.jpg" alt="Southern Rail" data-mce-source="Jack Taylor/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="A Southern rail conductor looks on as a Southern rail train leaves East Croydon station on October 18, 2016 in London, England. Staff at Southern rail have begun a second three-day strike over plans for drivers, instead of conductors, to operate train doors. The action will see hundreds of trains cancelled and other services affected as a result." /></p>
<p>&ldquo;The figures for Southern in particular show a significant recovery in passengers&rsquo; experience with a number of factors including the helpfulness and availability of on board staff and also of staff at the station. Southeastern also saw their overall satisfaction scores increase by 10 per cent.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Having said that, there is some way to go reach a more acceptable position. Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Southeastern have the lowest scores.</p>
<p>&ldquo;These green shoots are fragile and need nurturing. This recovery will be under pressure from upgrade works, industrial relationship problems and rising passenger numbers. So the industry needs to keep a relentless, ongoing focus on performance and reliability.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Key points of the survey, compared with the last six months ago, include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Overall satisfaction increased significantly by three percentage points from 80 to 83 per cent.</li>
<li>Overall satisfaction on punctuality and reliability increased by four percentage points from 73 to 77 per cent</li>
<li>Overall satisfaction increased for those in London and the South East by three per cent from 79 to 82 per cent</li>
<li>No train company's overall satisfaction declined significantly from Spring 2016, and seven train companies significantly improved: Southeastern, Gatwick Express, c2c, Heathrow Connect, Heathrow Express, Greater Anglia and Hull Trains.</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/59772e05dde1893c3a6f904d-582/screen shot 2017-07-25 at 115727.png" alt="Graph showing satisfaction rates of train companies" data-mce-source="London Evening Standard" /></p>
<p>The companies with the highest overall satisfaction scores were Hull Trains (97 per cent); Heathrow Express (97 per cent); Grand Central (94 per cent); Merseyrail (94 per cent); Chiltern (92 per cent); and Virgin Trains (West Coast) (92 per cent).</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/london-commuters-receive-the-worst-train-service-in-the-country-2017-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/suki-kim-north-korea-sent-hundreds-cheerleaders-olympics-2018-2">Why North Korea sent hundreds of cheerleaders to the Olympics</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-mta-subway-delay-2017-6Here's the century-old technology delaying the New York City subway every dayhttp://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-mta-subway-delay-2017-6
Sat, 24 Jun 2017 16:15:00 -0400Business Insider
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/55bbc2ef2acae7b7188bbc9a-1917-959/screen shot 2015-07-28 at 4.02.09 pm.png" alt="MTA subway CBTC video" data-mce-source="MTA/YouTube" data-mce-caption="An MTA employee tracks trains by hand" /></p><p></p>
<p>It's not just you. In New York City, subway delays are on the rise. In 2012, there was an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/12/nyregion/subway-complaints-straphangers-fuming.html">average of 28,000 delays</a> a month. Fast-forward four years, and that number has climbed to 70,000.</p>
<p>Sometimes it's easy to miss, with shiny new <a href="http://pix11.com/2017/04/14/some-countdown-clocks-and-kiosks-provide-new-transit-information/">touchscreen kiosks</a> and promises of <a href="http://www.amny.com/transit/new-mta-subway-trains-majority-will-feature-open-gangways-1.12058792">open-gangway subway cars</a>, but the New York City subway system runs on technology installed before World War II.</p>
<p>Because <a href="http://web.mta.info/nyct/facts/ridership/">5.7 million people</a> swipe their MetroCards every weekday, the delays pile up quickly when something goes wrong.</p>
<p>A crucial element of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's plan to fix this is called communications-based train control. The technology is revolutionary for a system as old as New York City's, and installing it on a single subway line took six years and $288 million.</p>
<p>To persuade the state to provide the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/nyregion/new-york-subway-signals.html">$20 billion</a> it would take to upgrade the whole system, the MTA <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1Bgmugve5M">used YouTube</a> to showcase its century-old signals, hand-controlled switches, and what was being done to update the aging system.</p>
<p>Here's what's being done to improve a system that remains mostly unchanged since its inception in 1904:</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-subway-map-disabled-2015-6" >Here's what the NYC subway map looks like to a person with disabilities</a></strong></p>
<h3>"In our system, it's not just the architecture that's 100 years old," an MTA employee says in the YouTube video. "It's a lot of the basic technology as well."</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/55b7eaa1371d22dc0b8b9c12-400-300/in-our-system-its-not-just-the-architecture-thats-100-years-old-an-mta-employee-says-in-the-youtube-video-its-a-lot-of-the-basic-technology-as-well.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>At the West Fourth Street station, MTA employees log train movements by hand.</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/55b7ead1371d22723a8b8664-400-300/at-the-west-fourth-street-station-mta-employees-log-train-movements-by-hand.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Every signal on each line is mapped on this board, which looks more like an old board game than a method of keeping millions of commuters safe and on time.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/55bb862d371d2278018bb743-400-300/every-signal-on-each-line-is-mapped-on-this-board-which-looks-more-like-an-old-board-game-than-a-method-of-keeping-millions-of-commuters-safe-and-on-time.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-mta-subway-delay-2017-6#/#heres-a-closer-look-each-diode-represents-a-signal-and-the-rectangles-are-platforms-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-mta-subway-delay-2017-6Here's the century-old technology delaying the New York City subway every dayhttp://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-mta-subway-delay-2017-6
Tue, 20 Jun 2017 10:13:11 -0400Graham Rapier
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/55bbc2ef2acae7b7188bbc9a-1917-959/screen shot 2015-07-28 at 4.02.09 pm.png" alt="MTA subway CBTC video" data-mce-source="MTA/YouTube" data-mce-caption="An MTA employee tracks trains by hand" /></p><p></p>
<p>It's not just you. In New York City, subway delays are on the rise. In 2012, there was an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/12/nyregion/subway-complaints-straphangers-fuming.html">average of 28,000 delays</a> a month. Fast-forward four years, and that number has climbed to 70,000.</p>
<p>Sometimes it's easy to miss, with shiny new <a href="http://pix11.com/2017/04/14/some-countdown-clocks-and-kiosks-provide-new-transit-information/">touchscreen kiosks</a> and promises of <a href="http://www.amny.com/transit/new-mta-subway-trains-majority-will-feature-open-gangways-1.12058792">open-gangway subway cars</a>, but the New York City subway system runs on technology installed before World War II.</p>
<p>Because <a href="http://web.mta.info/nyct/facts/ridership/">5.7 million people</a> swipe their MetroCards every weekday, the delays pile up quickly when something goes wrong.</p>
<p>A crucial element of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's plan to fix this is called communications-based train control. The technology is revolutionary for a system as old as New York City's, and installing it on a single subway line took six years and $288 million.</p>
<p>To persuade the state to provide the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/nyregion/new-york-subway-signals.html">$20 billion</a> it would take to upgrade the whole system, the MTA <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1Bgmugve5M">used YouTube</a> to showcase its century-old signals, hand-controlled switches, and what was being done to update the aging system.</p>
<p>Here's what's being done to improve a system that remains mostly unchanged since its inception in 1904:</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-subway-map-disabled-2015-6" >Here's what the NYC subway map looks like to a person with disabilities</a></strong></p>
<h3>"In our system, it's not just the architecture that's 100 years old," an MTA employee says in the YouTube video. "It's a lot of the basic technology as well."</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/55b7eaa1371d22dc0b8b9c12-400-300/in-our-system-its-not-just-the-architecture-thats-100-years-old-an-mta-employee-says-in-the-youtube-video-its-a-lot-of-the-basic-technology-as-well.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>At the West Fourth Street station, MTA employees log train movements by hand.</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/55b7ead1371d22723a8b8664-400-300/at-the-west-fourth-street-station-mta-employees-log-train-movements-by-hand.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Every signal on each line is mapped on this board, which looks more like an old board game than a method of keeping millions of commuters safe and on time.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/55bb862d371d2278018bb743-400-300/every-signal-on-each-line-is-mapped-on-this-board-which-looks-more-like-an-old-board-game-than-a-method-of-keeping-millions-of-commuters-safe-and-on-time.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-mta-subway-delay-2017-6#/#heres-a-closer-look-each-diode-represents-a-signal-and-the-rectangles-are-platforms-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a>